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Two men face sentencing for cutting down the iconic Sycamore Gap tree near Hadrian's Wall in northern England
ByBRIAN MELLEY Associated Press
LONDON -- With one man holding a phone to record the tree's notorious fall and the other working a chainsaw, a pair of vandals forever altered the landscape of a beloved section of Hadrian's Wall in northern England.
In less than three minutes, the beloved Sycamore Gap tree that had stood nearly 150 years crashed to the ground.
The fate of the men convicted of the senseless act now lies in the hands of a judge who will sentence them Tuesday in Newcastle Crown Court.
Justice Christina Lambert warned Daniel Graham and Adam Carruthers that they could face a “lengthy period in custody,” following their convictions in May of two counts each of criminal damage. Each count carries a penalty of up to 10 years behind bars.
The illegal felling in Northumberland National Park on Sept. 28, 2023, caused instant outrage and news quickly spread beyond the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire.
It wasn't Britain’s biggest or oldest tree, but it was prized for its picturesque setting, symmetrically planted between two hills along the wall that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The tree had long been known to locals but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner’s 1991 film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.” It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and even those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was voted English “Tree of the Year” in 2016.
Graham, 39, and Carruthers, 32, once close friends who had a falling out since their arrests, denied taking part in the act, claiming they were each at their homes that night. But evidence shown to the jury implicated both men.
Graham's Range Rover was near the tree around the time it fell. Grainy video of the felling was found on his phone — with metadata showing that it was shot at the location of the tree.
As digital data showed Graham's vehicle on its way back to where the two lived about 40 minutes away, Carruthers got a text from his girlfriend with footage of their 12-day-old son.
“I’ve got a better video than that,” Carruthers replied.
The jury didn't hear evidence of a motive for the crime, but prosecutor Richard Wright suggested in his closing argument that the two had been on a “moronic mission” and cut down the tree as a joke.
“They woke up the morning after and ... it must have dawned on them that they couldn’t see anyone else smiling,” Wright said.
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